


cursive faces

by SoloChaos



Series: go go go (one of us) [6]
Category: Bandom, Twenty One Pilots
Genre: Awkwardness, M/M, Meet the Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-19
Updated: 2014-06-19
Packaged: 2018-02-05 07:05:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,620
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1809601
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SoloChaos/pseuds/SoloChaos
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Part VI</p>
            </blockquote>





	cursive faces

"Nope," Josh says the moment they climb onto the steps in front of the door of Tyler's parents' house. "Nope, I can't do this."

"They're all expecting you, Josh," Tyler says, shifting the platter of crackers and hummus to his other arm so he can pat Josh's back.

"That's the point," Josh says into the plate of cookies he brought. "They're all gonna be looking at me, and asking questions, and making sure I'm not just planning on taking your virtue or what-the-heck-ever, and thinking-"

"Oh, shut up," Tyler says, but he has a look of concern in his eyes. "Look, there aren't going to be many people there, okay? And I can tell them not to ask you too many questions or anything."

Josh sighs, adjusting the collar of his turtleneck. "All right," he says, and Tyler rings the doorbell.

A girl with long hair that's the same color as Tyler's opens the door. "Hey, Tyler!" she says, giving Tyler a hug before turning to Josh.

"This is Maddy," Tyler says, gesturing. "Maddy, this is Josh."

Maddy grins at Josh. "Hey," she says, holding out a hand for a shake. "Come inside, guys. Dad is attempting to scale a fish and Mom just opened a non-alcoholic beer. It's getting pretty wild in here."

Cautiously amused, Josh follows Tyler inside.

"Oh, you must be the Josh who we've heard so much about," a woman with white-blonde hair says, taking the cookies from Josh. "Tyler never shuts up about you whenever he calls."

"Mom," Tyler huffs.

"I'm Kelly Joseph," the woman says, smiling warmly at Josh. "Come on, say hi to the dad."

The dad is currently staring at the scaling knife and the raw fish as though he's hoping the knife will scale the fish unaided.

"Honey, say hello," Mrs. Joseph instructs her husband.

"Hello," Mr. Joseph grunts, still staring at the knife and the fish.

"I can help you with that," Josh says, cautiously leaning in and picking up the knife. All three Josephs watch with various looks amazement as Josh quickly scales the fish.

"Where did you learn to do that?" Tyler asks as Josh sets the scaling knife down.

Josh shrugs. "I like fish. It's just something I've picked up."

Tyler stares at him.

"Why do you look so surprised?" Josh questions.

"I'm not used to dating guys who can actually do useful things," Tyler admits.

"Oh, right," Mr. Joseph says with a snort. "I remember you telling me all about that last guy who could burp the ABCs in a Christopher Walken impression."

Tyler blushes. "Right. Like that." 

Josh mouths _ABCs_ and _Christopher Walken,_ and Tyler punches his arm. 

Josh is introduced to Tyler's brothers, Zack and Jay. 

"That's all?" he asks Tyler in surprise. 

"That's all," Tyler confirms. It's not until they sit down for dinner when things start to get bad. 

"So, what do you do for a living, Josh?" Mr. Joseph asks. 

"I, uh, work at the Guitar Center," he says. Tyler opens his mouth to say more, probably about it only being part time, and Josh surreptitiously kicks him under the table. 

Mr. Joseph nods to himself. "I assume that's where you met, then." Josh nods, kicking Tyler again before he can say anything about how he bit him in the arm. 

Thankfully, the conversation is taken away from Josh for a moment when Maddy's birthday is discussed.

"Hey, when's your birthday?" Tyler asks, turning to Josh. "I just realized that I've never asked." 

"Oh, uh," _quick quick think normal people have birthdays be normal_ "today." Oh crap, that was probably not his best idea. 

"What?!" Tyler yelps. "Why didn't you _say_ anything?!" 

"Look, let's not make a big deal about-" 

"You don't have any presents, or cards, or cake, or _anything,"_ Tyler says, running his hands through his hair. "Oh gosh, why didn't you _tell_ me?" 

"It's not important," Josh says. He can feel his face turning red when he sees that everyone is staring at him. 

"Yes, it is!" Tyler says, waving his arms for emphasis. "You were born on this very day, twenty... twenty... Josh, I don't even know how old you are." 

"Uh..." Josh scrambles for an age. How old did the doctors say he was? "Twenty... Twenty-five." 

"You were born on this very day twenty-five years ago!" Tyler says. "That's important! You've been living for a quarter century!" 

Josh shrugs, feeling extremely uncomfortable. "I've never celebrated my birthday. Please don't make a big deal out of this."

"But-" Tyler begins.

"Tyler," Maddy interrupts, and Josh shoots her a grateful look. 

They eat in silence for a moment. A quiet, blissful moment. 

"How long have you two been dating?" Mrs. Joseph asks, breaking the silence.

"Two months," Tyler says.

_"Two?"_ Jay says, looking startled. "You had been dating that last guy for almost a year before we met him. And that girl for- what as it, eight months?" 

Tyler's face goes bright red. "Yes, two months," he mutters. "Thanks, Jay." 

"I thought for sure you were going to marry that last guy. Don't think I didn't see you two in the living room. I almost-" 

"Okay, thank you Jay, now please shut up," Tyler says through gritted teeth.

Jay shuts up. 

There's another silence as they eat their fish. Josh wonders if Tyler told his parents about Josh's borderline odd fondness for fish, or if it's just a coincidence. 

"What are your intentions with my brother?" Zack asks. "Other than sex, of course." Josh chokes on his bite of fish.

"Zack," Mrs. Joseph says in a scolding tone. 

"Come on," Zack says. "Like we weren't all thinking that the guy he brought home wasn't just-" 

"Zack!" Tyler yelps, whacking Josh on the back. Josh coughs into his napkin.

"Nothing but to be a gentleman to him," Josh wheezes. 

Zack nods. "Good." 

Another silence, albeit Josh's quiet coughing. 

"So, Tyler," Mr. Joseph says, "have you met Josh's family yet?" 

Josh, his fork in the air and mouth open, freezes. 

"Uh," Tyler says, casting a glance at Josh. "Um, no." 

Josh sets his fork down on the plate gently. "I don't, uh," he says awkwardly, "I mean, uh, I would, but um..."

"You haven't told me anything about your family, now that I think about it," Tyler says suddenly. "Why's that?" 

"Well," Josh says, biting his lip. 

"Do you have any siblings?" Mrs. Joseph asks. 

"I..." 

"Do they live in the area?" Mr. Joseph asks. "Do they go to church, maybe the one we go to?" 

"I, um..."

"What's your mom's name?" Mrs. Joseph says. "Do you think I might know her?" 

"I- I don't..."

"What about your father?" Mr. Joseph says. "Maybe I've met him." 

"Uh..." 

"Josh, you're looking a little pale," Tyler says. "Are you feeling all right?"

Everyone stares expectantly at Josh.

"I..." Josh says, staring back. "Excuse me." He bolts out of the room.

Josh dashes to the bathroom, locking himself in before covering his mouth with his hands and letting out a small sob. This is what he was afraid of, too many questions that he can't answer at once. He collapses onto the carpet in front of the sink and buries his head in his hands, letting out a few overwhelmed sobs. 

There's a soft knock on the door. 

"Yeah?" Josh says, expecting Tyler's voice. 

"You all right?" Maddy asks softly. 

"Yeah, I just-" Josh sobs again, muffling it with his hand. "I just lost it, I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Maddy says. "They can be a little intense sometimes, I know. I've scared off more than a few boys that way." 

Josh laughs weakly, opening the door. 

"Tyler really really likes you," Maddy says after she's stepped in and sat down next to him, closing the door behind her. "You're only the third person he's ever taken to meet our parents like this."

"I really really like him too," Josh says with a sigh. "And I know I should tell him more about myself. So things like this won't happen again."

"What _did_ happen?" Maddy asks curiously. "If that's all right."

"I don't have a family," Josh says quietly. "I used to, I think. I remember little grainy snapshots of people in my mind, but that's it."

"Oh," Maddy says sympathetically. "Oh gosh, I'm so sorry."

"It's okay," Josh says, wiping his eyes. "It's not like I miss them. I was just scared of questions that I should be able to answer, you know? I can't answer questions like 'What's your mother's name?'" 

"Oh, man," Maddy says softly. "I'm sorry." 

"It's not your fault," Josh says, taking a deep breath. He pauses. "It's not even my birthday." 

Maddy raises an eyebrow. "Why did you lie?"

"I..." Josh sighs. "Normal people have birthdays, right? Or at least know them. I don't. I want to be _normal,_ but I don't remember my mother's name and I don't know my own birthday."

"What- what happened to you?" Maddy asks softly, hesitantly wrapping an arm around Josh's shoulder.

"I've never told anyone this, but I was, um, well," Josh rests his head on Maddy's shoulder, "kidnapped. When I was a baby."  Maddy's hand on Josh's shoulder tightens. "And when I was finally found, there were no records of me or anything." 

"You never gave yourself a birthday?" Maddy says. 

Josh shakes his head. "Never found the need." 

Maddy exhales. "Man." 

"Please don't tell Tyler this," Josh says. "I want to tell him myself, please?"

"Yes, of course," Maddy says, squeezing his shoulder. 

"Thank you," Josh says, taking a deep breath. 

There's a gentle rap on the door.

"Josh?" Tyler's voice floats through the door. "You there?" 

"Yeah," Josh says, standing up. Maddy stands with him. "Yeah, I'm here."

**Author's Note:**

> I really like comments, guys. I am a huge comment-whore. Please comment.


End file.
